He tells Netanyahu that new apartment construction in East Jerusalem was about to "set the Middle East on fire"... and more:

THE Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, was set to withdraw from all peace talks with Israel last night after the announcement this week that 1600 apartments would be added to Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.

The announcement enraged the visiting US Vice-President, Joe Biden, who has told the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that it was liable to ''set the Middle East on fire''.

Mr Biden blames Mr Netanyahu for the decision, telling officials on Wednesday that the United States' close relationship with Israel was jeopardising its other bilateral relationships across the region.

''This is starting to get dangerous for us,'' he reportedly castigated Israeli officials. ''What you're doing here undermines the security of our troops who are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That endangers us and it endangers regional peace.''

Hmm... doesn't that sound a lot like something Ahmadinejad might say? Or Osama?

So it was Biden's fault that Netanyahu chose to insult him and US policy? What should Biden have done, just taken it like a henpecked hubby?

It's well known that the US wants the Israelis to freeze settlements. Israel chooses the moment that Biden visits to announce 1600 new homes for Jews in disputed parts of Jerusalem. This was a deliberate finger in the eye and shows Netanyahu's unmitigated gall. He needed to be dressed down, and I'm glad Biden did so publicly. I heard Hillary gave him a piece of her mind today too. Good for her.

Can you imagine a scenario where any of our other allies treat us this way? For example, when Mitchell was negotiating a settlement in Northern Ireland, Britain didn't suddenly announce they were building new homes for Protestants in Catholic neighborhoods in Belfast. If they had, we would have been outraged! Why is it OK if Israel disses the vice president of the United States? Britain wouldn't, and we don't give Britain 10 billion dollars a year.

And Biden is right that deliberately inflaming Muslim public opinion endangers our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of course it does. Israel and the US are inextricably intertwined in the minds of most Muslims. If Israel provokes, America takes the heat. I know that, you know that, and Netanyahu knows that.

Exactly Bruce. He should have showered Joe with gifts instead. Maybe some region 3 DVDs. My an ipod loaded with BB's speeches, all in Hebrew. May a big red button that reads boom in hebrew. That would show some real diplomacy...